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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: RESETTLEMENT IN JAPAN
FILE
11/4/88
1.
In the
Japan's record on resettlement of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong is disappointing since 1975 they have only taken 246.
last few years numbers are as follows:
-
1984
34
1985
52
1986
1987
5
23
Japan does, however make a substantial financial contribution to
UNHCR Costs in South East Asia.
2. The problem in Hong Kong is deteriorating due to an increase in arrivals and a decrease in departures: the number of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong has increased as follows
end 1986
8039
end 1987
9532
end March 1988
9576
3. At the 11 January meeting between the Secretary of State and Mr Uno, Japanese Foreign Minister, in Tokyo, the Secretary of State pressed Japan to take more refugees. Mr Uno gave the encouraging response that the Japanese government would be ready to accept more Hong Kong refugees. The problem was that they received few applications from refugees wishing to come to Japan, perhaps due to language barriers and because they favoured other countries like the
He said the Japanese Government would make efforts to take as many Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong as possible.
USA.
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